Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

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Rojma
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:52 pm

Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Rojma »

I have an internal Asus BW-16D1HT drive that seems to have recently died after ripping hundreds of discs with it. I went to go buy a new one, but it looks like this ASUS model is discontinued and the prices are really high on it (upper $100s into the $200s - I originally bought it for under $120).

Anyone recommend a similar internal drive that's not going to break the bank (~$120 or under)? I am comfortable flashing the drive myself. I already have a Pioneer drive but try to reserve that drive for ripping problematic discs. I would like to get something cheaper as my main workhorse drive.
MartyMcNuts
Posts: 4171
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:45 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by MartyMcNuts »

Rojma wrote:
Wed Nov 19, 2025 9:44 pm
I have an internal Asus BW-16D1HT drive that seems to have recently died after ripping hundreds of discs with it. I went to go buy a new one, but it looks like this ASUS model is discontinued and the prices are really high on it (upper $100s into the $200s - I originally bought it for under $120).

Anyone recommend a similar internal drive that's not going to break the bank (~$120 or under)? I am comfortable flashing the drive myself. I already have a Pioneer drive but try to reserve that drive for ripping problematic discs. I would like to get something cheaper as my main workhorse drive.
Verbatim 43888. it has a LG BU40N inside.
Cheers :D
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Rojma
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:52 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Rojma »

MartyMcNuts wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:42 am
Verbatim 43888. it has a LG BU40N inside.
That unfortunately is an external slim drive. I need an internal drive.
Coopervid
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:32 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Coopervid »

Rojma wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 2:18 pm
MartyMcNuts wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 7:42 am
Verbatim 43888. it has a LG BU40N inside.
That unfortunately is an external slim drive. I need an internal drive.
Tell us your country of residence.
Rojma
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:52 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Rojma »

US
Coopervid
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:32 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Coopervid »

Rojma wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 2:57 pm
US
Even the LGs are hard to find and expensive.

Get this Pioneer and contact me then. It can be flashed easily to make it UHD capable.

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Electron ... cO4FVkJPvK
Rojma
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:52 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Rojma »

I already have a Pioneer, including the flash for it that I bought from BillyCar11. I am looking for something a bit cheaper as my main workhorse drive (e.g. ASUS or LG). Personally, I have had very good experiences with my Asus drives and they pretty much have been able to rip anything that I throw at them, of course until now when one of them died on me (I did rip hundreds of discs with it though).
Coopervid
Posts: 3697
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2019 10:32 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Coopervid »

Rojma wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 3:44 pm
I already have a Pioneer, including the flash for it that I bought from BillyCar11. I am looking for something a bit cheaper as my main workhorse drive (e.g. ASUS or LG). Personally, I have had very good experiences with my Asus drives and they pretty much have been able to rip anything that I throw at them, of course until now when one of them died on me (I did rip hundreds of discs with it though).
ASUS and LG is indentical junk and now almost as expensive as the Pioneer I linked. Good luck!
Rojma
Posts: 103
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:52 pm

Re: Recommendations for a new internal UHD drive

Post by Rojma »

Coopervid wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 3:48 pm
Rojma wrote:
Thu Nov 20, 2025 3:44 pm
I already have a Pioneer, including the flash for it that I bought from BillyCar11. I am looking for something a bit cheaper as my main workhorse drive (e.g. ASUS or LG). Personally, I have had very good experiences with my Asus drives and they pretty much have been able to rip anything that I throw at them, of course until now when one of them died on me (I did rip hundreds of discs with it though).
ASUS and LG is indentical junk and now almost as expensive as the Pioneer I linked. Good luck!
My experience has been different. I've had almost 100% success with two Asus drives ripping hundreds of discs. Only discs that they haven't been able to rip are discs that are damaged/pressing defects that the Pioneer also can't rip. I agree the Pioneers are better and if I were paying Pioneer prices, I would go with the Pioneer over ASUS/LG. But what I'm looking for is a workhorse drive that will do the majority of the ripping and then save the Pioneer for problematic discs.

I did find some Asus BW-16D1HT at a good price on eBay so I rolled the dice and bought two of those.
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